Musetec (LKS) MH-DA005 DAC

Some history: I was the OP on a four year old thread about the Chinese LKS MH-DA004 DAC. It achieved an underground buzz. The open architecture of its predecessor MH-DA003 made it the object of a lot of user mods, usually to its analog section, rolling op amps or replacing with discrete. The MH-DA004 with its new ESS chips and JFET analog section was called better then the modified older units. It has two ES9038pro DAC chips deliberately run warm, massive power supply, powered Amanero USB board, JFET section, 3 Crystek femtosecond clocks, Mundorf caps, Cardas connectors, etc., for about $1500. For this vinyl guy any reservation about ESS chips was resolved by the LKS implimentaion, but their revelation of detail was preserved, something that a listener to classic music especially appreciated. I made a list of DACs (many far more expensive) it was compared favorably to in forums. Modifications continued, now to clocks and caps. Components built to a price can be improved by costlier parts and the modifiers wrote glowingly of the SQ they achieved.

Meanwhile, during the 4 years after release of the MH-DA004, LKS (now Musetec) worked on the new MH-DA005 design, also with a pair of ES9038pro chips. This time he used more of the best components available. One torroidal transformer has silver plated copper. Also banks of super capacitors that act like batteries, solid silver hookup wire, 4 femtoclocks each costing multiples of the Crysteks, a revised Amanero board, more of the best European caps and a new partitioned case. I can't say cost NO object, but costs well beyond. A higher price, of course. Details at http://www.mu-sound.com/DA005-detail.html

The question, surely, is: How does it sound? I'm only going to answer indirectly for the moment. I thought that the MH-DA004 was to be my last DAC, or at least for a very long time. I was persuaded to part with my $$ by research, and by satisfaction with the MH-DA004. Frankly, I have been overwhelmed by the improvement; just didn't think it was possible. Fluidity, clarity, bass extension. A post to another board summed it up better than I can after listening to piano trios: "I have probably attended hundreds of classical concerts (both orchestral and chamber) in my life. I know what live sounds like in a good and bad seat and in a good and mediocre hall. All I can say is HOLY CRAP, this sounds like the real thing from a good seat in a good hall. Not an approximation of reality, but reality."

melm05-23-2021 4:05pm

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charles1dad Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 10,250 posts 05-20-2022 at 02:15am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Any old competent engineer can design a DAC that tests well. I’m interested in music, so what I do is try hard to design a product to sound good. Period. Measurements notwithstanding. They just fall out, and are what they are. For example, as one user has written elsewhere, "the majority of the distortions comes from the discrete I/U and output stage. The output amplifier and buffer has no feedback (I think). Without it the distortion values cannot compete against integrated op amps." Virtually all mass produced entry level DACs/CD players made by the mainstream brands follow the same recipe. Op-Amps (Inexpensive off the shelve varieties) utilized for I/V conversion and analog output stage duties. They employ generous amounts of NFB (Negative feedback) and do one thing consistently well, they yield very good test measurements and specifications. How do they reproduce music and engage the listener? Seemingly that's besides the point. They will measure quite good, mission accomplished. Certainly it is true to say, "to each their own". I'll chose the talented designer who makes decisions .based on extensive listening and reassessment. I do not find any particular comfort with good spec numbers on paper. It has to sound very good when listening to music. Charles
kairosman Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 293 posts 05-20-2022 at 05:04am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete As per some others here I feel that Jinbo should only publish consistently reproducible measurements, otherwise it is difficult for potential new customers to trust him otherwise. I get the temptation for a small company to publish attractive specs, but these days with the ASR gear measurements making their way through the hifi forums, it is better in the long run to be accurate. Btw I have been listening to the measurements champion Topping D90SE all day and so far I have no complaints. It is many hours away from completing burn in, but I gotta say so far it is clean and yet not harsh sounding.
lordmelton Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 877 posts 05-20-2022 at 05:04am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete One actual fact that has arisen is that there are two versions of the 005. Checkout the pics below and note that one has what seems to be an off the shelf Amanero Board with two oscillators. Whilst the other has an Amanero Board with three oscillators. I believe the latter is Musetec's custom Amanero Board, so I surmise this is the later model. Power board differences show 2 FETS and 4 FETS and minor capacitor changes. I will not speculate on distortion or the reasons for it, my contributions to this thread speak for themselves. These boards are easily changed if anyone is so inclined, I can't detect any other differences. Yours in Musetec
yyzsantabarbara Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 4,912 posts 05-20-2022 at 05:17am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @kairosman I also owned and sold the Topping D90SE. The D90SE will sound very good on speakers. It is very much like the Benchmark DAC3B. However, if you send the DAC signal to some headphones you may notice that the D90SE is a bit harsher than a DAC3B. Compared to the Musetec 005 the D90SE is much harsher on headphones. I used the RAAL SR1a to test this out. I am not sure if there is any other headphone as revealing as the SR1a. I had the Topping pre90 + D90SE + Benchmark AHB2 + KEF LS50 as my uber revealing setup. I sold the Topping and put back a Benchmark LA4 pre + DAC3B, which I found better in mostly features and a bit better in sound. I use the 005 now with the Benchmark LA4 preamp. All I hear in this setup is the 005 and it sounds great. I used a CODA 07x preamp before but that colored (in a nice way) the sound of the 005. I like the naked 005 sound more.
laoman Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 444 posts 05-20-2022 at 05:50am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete " Todd you don’t get it, if Amir says it’s bad it usually sounds good. Topping D90 is the best performing DAC in the world according to ASR..lol" This is the first thing that Melton has ever posted that I agree with.